Attitudes influencing adoption of biogas fuel among workers and learners in selected Christian based training institutions in Nandi County, Kenya

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Over-dependence on unsustainable wood fuel and other forms of biomass energy as the primary source of fuel to meet household energy needs has contributed to environmental drawbacks. Adoption of biogas as alternative source of energy has many advantages including conserving trees, being cheap and clean. Biomass energy contributes 68% of the national energy requirements and is expected to remain the main source of energy in the foreseeable future. The main purpose of the study was to assess attitudes influencing adoption of biogas fuel among workers and learners in selected Christian based training institutions in Nandi County. The specific objectives of the study were to compare the attitude of adopters and non-adopters of biogas towards adoption and utilization of the fuel as a source of sustainable energy in the training institutions, to determine factors influencing adoption and use of biogas fuel, and to establish the level of awareness and utilities of biogas fuel in the training institutions. The population of this study was made up of twelve tertiary institutions of middle level college. The sample comprised workers and learners of the two training institutions both located at Kapsabet town. Purposive sample selection (Census sampling) and descriptive case study research design were involved where 318 respondents participated in the study. The respondents were students, non-teaching staff, tutors and head teachers of the selected Christian based training institutions. A structured questionnaire was administered to obtain data on respondents’ attitudes as well as opinion on adoption and use of biogas fuel as alternative source of energy. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 20 and results presented in tables, graphs and charts. This research assessed the attitude of respondents including learners, cooks, tutors and head teachers of Christian Intermediate Technology Centre and St. Paul’s Theology College in Nandi County as well as factors that influences adoption of biogas fuel as alternative source of energy. Results show that a significant proportion of all respondents have not used or adopted biogas energy; tutors (χ2 =22.091, df=1, n=33, p-value=0.000), non-teaching staff (χ2 =5.261, df=1, n=23, p-value=0.022) and students (χ2 =100.8, df=1, n=260, p-value=0.000). Results also show that a significant proportion of the respondents (96.0%) had a negative attitude towards use of biogas fuel. In addition, there was significant difference in respondents’ attitude towards biogas fuel adoption (χ2 = 10.667, df = 1, p = 0.001). Further, the study results revealed that several factors including conservation of environment, being a clean energy and need for small space for installation influenced adoption of biogas fuel. In addition, there is availability of the common raw materials including animal, agricultural, human and kitchen waste. The findings of the study will be important to policy makers to turn around attitude towards biogas fuel use as alternative source of energy and save the environment.